not venture an attack upon them.

A few days after their arrival at Acre, the king gave orders for the
embarcation of the troops. Just as they were preparing to enter the ships
a small vessel was seen entering the harbour. It drew up to the shore,
and a knight leaped from it, and, inquiring where King Richard was to be
found, made his way to the king, who was standing superintending the
embarcation of some of the horses.

"The Saracens, sire!" he exclaimed. "The Saracens are besieging Jaffa,
and the place must be lost unless assistance arrives in a day or two."

The king leaped on board the nearest ship, shouted to his leading
officers to follow him, and gave orders to others to bring down the
troops with all possible speed, to waste not a moment, and to see that
all was done, and then, in five minutes after the receipt of the news he
started for Jaffa. The Earl of Evesham and Cuthbert had been standing
near the king when the order was given, and followed him at once on board
the bark which he had chosen.

"Ah, my gallant young knight," the king exclaimed, "I am right glad to
see you with me. We shall have more fighting before we have done, and I
know that that suits your mood as well as my own."

The king's vessel was far in advance of any of the others, when early the
following morning it arrived at Jaffa.

"Your eyes are better than mine," the king said to Cuthbert. "Tell me
what is that flag flying on the top of the town."